Oklahoma Medical Malpractice Lawyers

Recent studies have identified medical malpractice as one of the leading preventable causes of death in the United States, killing up to 98,000 people each year. Many Oklahoma personal injury law firms hesitate to take on the challenges involved in a medical malpractice case. These cases are costly and require in-depth medical and legal knowledge to effectively litigate. At McIntyre Law, we have the resources and experience needed to take on medical doctor’s insurance companies and the experts they use to try to avoid liability when Oklahoma medical negligence has occurred. Our attorneys have a proven history of effectively litigating medical malpractice cases throughout the entire state of Oklahoma and are here to help you and your loved ones.

What is Medical Malpractice?

Oklahoma medical malpractice is defined by an act or omission by a health care provider in which care provided deviates from accepted standards of practice in the medical community and causes injury or wrongful death to the patient. Typical areas in which medical malpractice occurs may involve surgical mistakes, brain injuries, birth injuries, physician impairment, emergency room error, misdiagnosis, failure to diagnose or delayed diagnosis of cancer or other serious diseases. Working with a team of medical experts, our Oklahoma medical malpractice attorneys will help you determine whether a medical professional has deviated from the recognized standards of care that result in serious injuries or death to patients.

Medical malpractice can have serious consequences for those who survive. It is typical to see long term health damage that may require a lifetime of care due to medical malpractice. Our team of attorneys in Oklahoma City is prepared to fight and help you or your loved get this best care and treatment he or she deserves.

Surgical Errors

A sedated patient undergoing surgery is at his or her most vulnerable state. When you have a surgical procedure performed, you have the expectation to be treated with the utmost care and to recover from your surgery without complications. While every surgery may carry with it inherent risks, surgical malpractice is not an acceptable risk. Contrary to what insurance companies would like you to believe, there are standards in surgery that are there to protect the patients and those standards must be adhered to by medical professionals. Typically, surgical errors happen when your health care professional fails to provide you with the appropriate standard of care and makes errors prior to, during, or after your surgery. A surgical error is a type of medical malpractice that can have terrible, even deadly, results. Surgical errors can include: Wrong Incisions, Wrong Site Surgery, and Equipment Left inside the Body, Anesthesia Complications, Nerve Damage, Prolonged Surgery, Organ Damage and Non-Sterile Equipment.

Anesthesia Error

Complications caused by anesthesia are among the normal risks of surgery, but anesthesia error is preventable and, like surgical error, is not an acceptable risk. When anesthesiologists and nurse anesthetists are negligent, the consequences are usually serious and sometimes deadly. Anesthesiologists play an important role in making sure the patient is medically stable and fit for non-emergency surgery and stable throughout emergency surgery. Anesthesia error can lead to overdose, allergic reaction, pain and awareness during surgery, brain injury, and much more.

Medication Errors

Medication errors are one of the most preventable areas of malpractice. According to studies, drug overdoses or wrong medications cause an estimated 7,000 deaths a year. These mistakes are preventable. Medication errors can leave patients permanently disabled or can have results ranging in severity from minor to fatal. The mistake may be made when the drug is prescribed or in the administration of a medication. Many errors occur when medical professionals simply fail to pay attention to the patients past medical history, administer the wrong dosage or combine toxic and deadly combination of drugs. Poor packaging and labeling, inadequate policies and procedures by medical facilities, and failure to consider a patient’s medical history are just some of the causes of medication errors.

Diagnosis Errors

A study published in the October 2006 edition of the Annals of Internal Medicine concludes that missed or delayed diagnoses may comprise nearly 60% of all medical malpractice claims. The study showed that errors in diagnosis occur not only in hospitals, but in other medical settings as well. If you or a loved one has fallen prey to a diagnosis error, you understand the grave and serious impact these errors have on you or your loved ones. These errors often lead to death or permanent harm to a patient who could have recovered but for the diagnosis error.

There are several types of diagnosis errors that may occur. Diagnosis errors include: delayed diagnosis, misdiagnosis, and complete failure to diagnose a medical condition or event are examples of diagnosis errors.

Birth Injuries

The Oklahoma City medical malpractice attorneys at McIntyre Law are parents and take special consideration when handling negligence cases involving Birth Injuries. These cases are sensitive and special care must be given to the children and families who have suffered as a result of a preventable birth injury.

While labor and delivery of a child can be routine, the process, if mismanaged by the medical providers, can cause brain damage and cerebral palsy, learning disabilities and other injuries to the baby. Some common avoidable mistakes that result in birth injuries are: failure to adequately respond to birth complications i.e. missed opportunity for a caesarian section, improperly prescribed/administered drugs, misuse of medical devices such as forceps and improper care during the birthing process. Examples of birth injuries include: Cerebral palsy, Erb’s palsy, Klumpke’s palsy, Shoulder distocia, Brachial plexus injuries, Hypoxic brain injury, Forceps injury, Uterine rupture, Failure to perform a timely C-section and Failure to treat eclampsia or pre-eclampsia.

Emergency Room Errors

Oklahoma emergency room doctors generally provide excellent care but there are those occasions where medical errors occur that lead to disastrous results for patients. These errors are preventable and are usually the result of the chronic staff shortages that plague hospital emergency rooms. However, staff shortages are not an excuse for neglect. The hospital emergency room is not a place for mistakes. When emergency room doctors or nurses drop the ball, the results can be catastrophic.

The emergency room is no place for mistakes. Because the ER is where we go following a drastic change in our health, such as a serious fall, chest pains, or a car accident, the stakes are higher. When emergency room doctors and nurses drop the ball, the results can be catastrophic, even leading to death. Some of the most common types of emergency room errors are: Failure to fully evaluate or treat a patient’s condition, Late or wrong diagnosis, Faulty laboratory tests, contaminated blood transfusions, Prescribing incorrect medication or incorrect dosage and Failure to monitor a patient.

Doctor Impairment Injuries

Sadly there are situations where medical professionals have attempted to care for patients while impaired by alcohol, drugs or prescription drugs. The combination of doctor impairment and medical treatment is unjustifiable and usually has disastrous results for the patient. Our Oklahoma medical malpractice lawyers are experienced in handling these claims and will fight for accountability with the medical professionals and their employers.

Successful, Ethical Oklahoma Hospital Negligence Lawyers

Honesty, hard work and compassion are the hallmarks of McIntyre Law Tulsa lawyers. We strive to provide the best legal representation to medical malpractice victims while adhering to a strict code of ethics. We pledge to keep the victims best interests in mind and make the legal process as painless as possible for the injured and their family. At McIntyre Law you will get the full attention of our lawyers and have unabated access to our lawyers at anytime.

Contact an Oklahoma Medical Malpractice Attorney for a Consultation

The medical malpractice lawyers in our Oklahoma City office routinely handle cases throughout the state. Our client representation includes Oklahoma City, Tulsa, Lawton, Edmond, Norman, Ardmore, Idabel, Shawnee, Stillwater, Midwest City and Moore, in counties including Oklahoma County, Tulsa County, Payne County, Cleveland and McCurtain County. No matter where you are in the state of Oklahoma, our medical negligence lawyers stand ready to help you.

If you or a loved one has been the unfortunate victim of medical malpractice, please contact McIntyre Law. The exceptional level of experience and personal care can make a difference in the outcome of your case.